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Iyowa (Japanese: いよわ) is a Japanese musician, Vocaloid producer, songwriter and illustrator. He is best known for his 2021 single "Kyu-Kurarin" (stylized as "kyu kurarin"), which has been viewed 50 million times on YouTube. His artist name allegedly came about from having a weak stomach.

Career

Iyowa began composing music in elementary school using the Nintendo DS software Jam with the Band. He became interested in Vocaloid music when he was in junior high school, when he discovered Jin's song Children Record.

In 2018, Iyowa debuted as a Vocaloid producer, submitting his music to Nico Nico Douga.

Iyowa released his debut album Sleeping Pink Noise in November 2019. The album was initially released only on CD, but later released on streaming formats.

On June 8, 2020, Iyowa released "Clover Knight" as his debut single on his own label, Igusuri Records.

On September 4, 2021, Iyowa released "Kyu-Kurarin". This song's music video gained 100,000 views on Nico Nico Douga one week after its release, and 10 million views on YouTube by June 19, 2022. This song reached number one on the Niconico Vocaloid Songs Top 20. It is the longest charting song on the chart, and is still charting as of July, 2024. It has lyrics that allude to depression and suicide, and many users have discussed the meaning of the lyrics. It was a single from Watashi no Heritage released in December of the same year. This album debuted at number 50 on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums, and became his first entry on the chart.

On October 22, 2022, Iyowa released a song titled "Heat Abnormal" featuring vocal synth character Adachi Rei, which was number one in the VOCALOID Collection 2022 Autumn.

On December 7 2022, Iyowa's song "Leave You on the Back of the Earth" featuring RIME became the number one single on Billboard Japan's newly instituted Niconico Vocaloid Songs Top 20 singles chart. Six months later, "The Peachy Key" reached number one, making Iyowa the artist with the most number one songs on the chart.

In January 2023, Iyowa was featured on the song "Droplet" from Japanese voice actress and singer Mai Fuchigami's EP Mai Create. That year, he produced "Zanshi", a song from another voice actress and singer Saori Hayami's third studio album, Shiro to Hanataba.

On 27 February 2024, Iyowa released the single "Journey's Prequels, Journey's Traces" featuring virtual singer Hatsune Miku. The song is from "Pokemon feat. Hatsune Miku Project VOLTAGE 18 Types/Songs", a collaborative project between the Japanese media franchise Pokémon and Hatsune Miku.

Iyowa released his third album, Films, Sunny Spots, Graduations on 26 June 2024. It reached number nine on both Oricon Albums Chart and Japan Hot Albums, becoming his first top 10 hit.

Artistry

Iyowa's songs are known for using a lot of dissonance and are often described as emotionally charged. The abrupt jumps in scale and the abundance of dissonance led to his early career to be described as "that sounds like it was written at random, but it is a song and it is mutant". In 2022, he described his musical style as "Strong characteristic and strange music".

Vocaloid music videos are generally commissioned from a different person than the composer, but Iyowa produces all of his own music videos and his songs. He attributed this to the reason: "I was afraid to have a music video produced by someone I had never met before." The girls in his music video are called "Iyowa girls", and he said he is very happy to see their fan art.

Inspiration

Iyowa has cited Harumaki Gohan, Nuyuri, and Enon Kawatani of Gesu no Kiwami Otome as major musical influences. In particular, Kawatani is a strong influence on Iyowa, and many of Iyowa's songs are influenced by his works. He has also stated that he is influenced by Jin's Kagerou Project, a mixed-media project.

Personal life

Iyowa is a college student as of 2022. After he graduates, he plans to continue working as a producer while working another job.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Guest appearances

Production discography

Remixes

2019

• Manika – "To Azalea" (Iyowa Remix)

2020

• Kairiki Bear – "Darling Dance" (Iyowa Remix)

2021

• Hiiragi Magnetite – "Marshall Maximizer" (Iyowa Remix)
• Kaf - "Me Logic" (Iyowa Remix)

2022

• Haruka Kudo - "GROOVY MUSIC TAPE" (Iyowa Remix)
• Deco*27 – "Animal" (Iyowa Remix)
• Manika - "I'm the only one left behind in March" (Iyowa Remix)
• BCNO - "Capotasto" (Iyowa Remix)

2023

• Mikitop – "Ghost Girl" (Iyowa Remix)

2024

• Inabakumori – "Relay Outer" (Iyowa Remix)

References

1. ^ "いよわ インタビュー アバンギャルドでポップな新世代クリエイターが語る、「作り続ける」ためのマインドセット（Soundmain連載）｜入江陽". note（ノート） (in Japanese). 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
2. "きゅうくらりん / いよわ feat.可不（Kyu-kurarin / Iyowa feat.Kafu） - YouTube". YouTube. 2024-01-19. Archived from the original on 2024-01-19. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
3. "いよわ". TuneCore Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
4. ^ "新進気鋭のボカロP・ちいたな＆いよわとVOCALOIDとの出会い、クリエイター奨励プログラムの説明etc… 「週刊ニコニコインフォ 第18号』レポート！". ニコニコニュース (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
5. いよわ (14 February 2018). "ボカロ曲を初投稿しました！！！！！" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 July 2024 – via Twitter.
6. いよわ (15 November 2019). "11/17日のボーマス43のおしながきです！1stAlbumとコンピを持っていきます" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 July 2024 – via Twitter.
7. "いよわ、「ねむるピンクノイズ」を配信開始｜THE MAGAZINE". THE MAGAZINE (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
8. いよわ (8 June 2020). "2曲の各種ダウンロード販売・ストリーミング配信を開始いたしました！" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 July 2024 – via Twitter.
9. いよわ (19 June 2022). "きゅうくらりんYouTube1000万再生ありがとうございます！" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 July 2024 – via Twitter.
10. "ニコニコ VOCALOID SONGS TOP20 | Charts". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
11. "いよわfeat.可不「きゅうくらりん」の歌詞の意味を考察！複雑な恋心を徹底解剖！ | 歌詞検索サイト【UtaTen】ふりがな付". UtaTen (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
12. "Billboard Japan Hot Albums | Charts". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
13. "ボカロP・いよわの『熱異常』が超いいから聞いてみて！ ボカコレ2022秋TOP100優勝作品が「ほんと鳥肌立っちゃう」「間違いなく伝説」と絶賛". ニコニコニュース オリジナル (in Japanese). 2022-10-18. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
14. "【ビルボード】"ニコニコ VOCALOID SONGS TOP20" 記念すべき第1週目首位はいよわ「地球の裏」、れるりり／ジミーサムPが続く | Daily News". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
15. ^ "いよわ | Artist". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
16. "声優・渕上舞、ボカロPとコラボしたミニアルバム「MAI CREATE」リリース 「Chig Hug meets DECO*27」MVのプレミア公開や記念グッズ販売も | Musicman". 音楽業界総合情報サイト | Musicman (in Japanese). 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
17. "早見沙織、引き算のクリエイティブで立ち返った創作の原点 Tomggg、いよわ、清 竜人、諭吉佳作/menらとの制作秘話を語る". Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). 2023-05-24. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
18. "【ポケモン×初音ミク】2月27日はポケモンデー！ポケミク新曲を公開♪ | アニメージュプラス - アニメ・声優・特撮・漫画のニュース発信！". animageplus.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-21.
19. "映画、陽だまり、卒業式 | いよわ". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
20. "Billboard Japan Hot Albums | Charts". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
21. 編集部, RAG MUSIC (2024-04-17). "いよわの魅力に迫る！独特な音楽性と多彩な才能に注目【楽曲一覧】". RAG Vocaloid (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-17.
22. "ボカロ曲の流行の変遷と「ボカロっぽさ」についての考察（7）柊キライ、Kanariaら2020年の活躍と今後のシーンに寄せて". Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). 2020-11-08. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
23. ^ "TOOBOE × いよわ｜インターネット新世代プロデューサーが語る新しいボカロシーン". Qetic (in Japanese). 2022-01-17. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
24. "MV制作の依頼メールを送られる際に、あらかじめ伝えて欲しい事[ボカロ系・歌みた系など]｜無印かげひと". note（ノート） (in Japanese). 2023-11-13. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
25. いよわ (30 December 2018). "ゲスの極み乙女。（川谷絵音さん）はめっちゃ影響受けてます あと、はるまきごはんさんだったりぬゆりさんの影響もめちゃくちゃでかいです" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 July 2024 – via Twitter.
26. "ボカロシーンに広がる「音声合成ソフトウェアの多様化」から生まれた新たな"創作論" いよわ×RED 対談". Real Sound｜リアルサウンド テック (in Japanese). 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2024-07-17.
27. "ボカロPを長く続けるために必要なこと シーンに対する期待と危機感". KAI-YOU Premium (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-07-20.
28. "いよわのプロフィール". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved 2024-07-17.

• 2000 births
• Living people
• Vocaloid musicians
• Japanese illustrators
• Japanese musicians